[Samurai]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I guess the Getaway is the yuppy version of this one, like scorpio is the yuppies jeep!

Not exactly, the pickup has full floating axle, Getaway doesn't.

[tsk1979]

Yeah, but neither does the scorpio.,
MY point was, Scorpio is to MMXXX as Getaway is to Pikup.

BTW I am anticipating that in the next post the scorpios will try to cross the river, and that will make interesting watching. With the jeep its actually boring to see it go as if there is no obstacle at all!

[offroad_maniac]

@Samurai : A really engaging writeup with nice phototgraphy. You are a pro.

Here I can see all types of Mahindra Vehicles tackling the terrains so no fight in between SWB & LWBs, All in the skills of driver.
BTW, that Black, Bumperless Bolero looks mean & IIRC, that silver coloured Mahindra MM550 mod is I think "Mahindra Quadro". The concept that few years ago Mahindra tried, but Failed.

And yes, please keep more photos coming.cheers:

[Samurai]

Out of the blue I see this old beauty coming through the river.



Yup, this is the first time I am seeing a Ford GPW in flesh, I mean metal. I have more shots later.



The flow of vehicles had reduced to a trickle. So I start wondering whether I should continue on. A marshal on the other bank is drifting into sleep, just kidding. This guy was one of the hardest working marshals.



About 15 minutes later a classic comes around.



He climbs so smoothly, there is generous applause from the crowd and marshals.



This particular river crossing only looks very challenging. Every 4x4 vehicles could climb this one easily as long as they knew how to do it, or listened to the instructions by marshals. The vehicles that failed to cross this without winching did so for the following reasons:

1) Malfunctioning 4x4 system, some couldn’t engage low gear, some couldn’t engage the front axle. The electronic 4WD systems didn’t do that well.
2)No 4WD. Coorg is a pure 4x4 territory, even the 2WD certified mud roads demand 4x4 after some rain. Due to some miscommunication, many 2WD Jeeps/SUV had come and they suffered big time.
3)Wrong technique. Some were tapping the accelerator in the incline generating an instant wheel-spin and slid back. Some broke their rear bumper by sliding back.

I saw one 2WD Scorpio trying cross. It couldn’t even put the front paws (I mean wheel) on the incline. It just stood at the border of the river and was winched up.

Same case with this 2WD Bolero, and I decided to move on.



Next there was this downward slope which curves around, the cliff side is at least 100ft deep. This path is quite clean now, it was obliterated by evening, turning it very dangerous.

You can see the lead vehicle (Bolero Invader) coming down.



This old Jeep with a sand bag in the front was a strange spectacle. The sand bag serves as dead weight, helping gain extra traction.



Here is a small bridge and after that there is about a KM of uphill driving through twisting mud trail. Generally even 2WD vehicles can do it in experienced hands. Sibi decides to setup another winch point in this slope. I get on the lead vehicle to check out the action in the frontline.

It is an ordinary trail, but with many uphill sections, this turned to be really bad for 2WD vehicles.

YouTube - Great Escape: Driving up the trail

Finally we reach the end of the trail and parked, the time was 1:45PM. All the vehicles are supposed to wait until everybody else catches up. At least that was the idea. The media photographers decide to move on.



Meanwhile I spot a bottle of mineral water in the lead jeep. I haven’t had a drop of water to drink or a bite to eat since 7:45AM. So I take a couple of mouthful from the bottle, and it tastes heavenly. Another marshal offers couple of biscuits when he heard I haven’t eaten/drank anything in 6 hours despite all the walking, running and shooting. I suspect same is the case with lots of marshals who are on foot and may be even with participants. The first timers might have expected to be back at the club by afternoon. But the veterans of offroading would normally carry lots of food in their Jeep.

While we were waiting, it rains for a while. And after I that decided to check out some vehicles parked nearby.

I spot this Mahindra pickup which I had captured in video a little while ago.



As I was admiring it up close, I told the driver (no barrier, remember?) that it must be nice to have the assurance of a full-floating axle. Moment I said that, the driver and the passenger jump out and came at me. They wanted to know what I was talking about.

So pointed at their rear hubs and explain the difference between semi and full floating axle. Notice the mismatched tyres.



Then the passenger wants to know whether it is related to LCD. So I explain LSD (not LCD) and the benefits.

This is a new experience for me. I know very little about Jeeps and 4x4 myself, and here I am explaining this stuff to other Jeepers. Later I met or saw few more Jeepers who were not exactly in touch with their inner-Jeep.

Meanwhile, I see a blue Jeep arriving at the scene and that driver quickly realizes that he can’t get past our lineup. This turned out to be the school bus…er…school Jeep. So he dumped a few school kids and reversed out of there.



Next I walked right into the WWII Jeep, the Ford GPW from 1944.

The side-valve go-devil engine.



This has been beautifully restored by a local Jeep expert called Sudhir, he is supposedly the ultimate engine guy in that area.



Notice the full floating rear axle, it can break an axle in the battlefield and still continue.



The man with the cowboy hat is Prem, the owner of the Jeep.



I started talking with Sudhir (the engine guy) and we decided to walk back the trail to find something interesting. Since I don’t know much about engines, we spoke about Valaga (traditional Coorgee music) and how it is still relevant, etc.

Meanwhile, the 2WD Bolero we spotted earlier is in trouble. The long uphill sections are turning out to be a challenge for it. The Bolero owner is up in arms demanding immediate rescue. He tells me that he was repeatedly assured that his 2WD Bolero can do this terrain. Whoever told him that must have been really ignorant about Coorg.

And the rescue is on. The Jeep (commander?) is not exactly powerful enough to pull along the Bolero. So they winch the Jeep using the Armada and the Jeep in turn is towing the 2WD Bolero.



The winching Armada is Jammed to the side to avoid slipping.



So the Bolero starts moving up. All those guys are standing on the Jeep to give extra traction to the Jeep tyres.



But this doesn’t exactly solve the real problem. There is still half KM of similar trail which the 2WD can’t climb. Now they do something I can’t believe. Sibi gets on to the Armada and starts towing the Jeep (while Jeep towing the Bolero) while driving in reverse. I want to shoot this action, but I am right behind the Armada with no place to hide. Besides Sibi may not see me clearly since he is driving in reverse. So I run for my life (gum boots, camera in hand, mucky roads, same deal) while Armada is chasing me in reverse.

Finally we hit level ground and I can take a break. We can all smell clutch burn, but the Bolero is still road worthy, if not offroad worthy. The Bolero owner is ecstatic, tries to shake hands with every rescuer.

Imagine, this may have to be repeated for every 2WD and non-working 4WD vehicle. I got a chill just thinking about it.

To be continued.

[-GT-]

Superb write-up and fantastic pics. Waiting for more and more and more ! This is another 5 star thread.

[benbsb29]

Excellent coverage of the event, Sharath!
The Overdrive show on CNBC-TV18 showed a video spanning a few seconds with repeated clips as well, and enjoyed the choiciest of abuses from me. Now, this is what we call coverage.

The use of a sand bag and also people to gain better traction when climbing, had me wondering that heavier vehicles like the Scorpio should have had better success, as they are already heavy to begin with. Or is their weight their undoing? I'm confused!

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by offroad_maniac

Here I can see all types of Mahindra Vehicles tackling the terrains so no fight in between SWB & LWBs, All in the skills of driver.

The offroad trail used here is rather straight forward and simple by general off-roading standards. The Soligere trail is much more difficult in my opinion.

Originally Posted by benbsb29

The use of a sand bag and also people to gain better traction when climbing, had me wondering that heavier vehicles like the Scorpio should have had better success, as they are already heavy to begin with. Or is their weight their undoing? I'm confused!

I have some idea, but I will let the experts do the articulating.

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by Samurai

The winching Armada is Jammed to the side to avoid slipping.

To be continued.

Excellent pictures mate. I wish I was there.

BTW, the jeep with the ugly Armada front is really the Army Spec/NGCS MM550.

Wish Mahindra would offer it to civilians !!

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by Samurai

I have some idea, but I will let the experts do the articulating.

Hint: Weight applied is of no use if there is loss of traction?
Do tyres come into this equation?

[abhiram7912]

Those are some great pictures and nice write up Samurai sir.

a small question though is this event only limited to Mahindra jeeps or can people with other suv's participate ?? . love to participate in this event with a defender or a jeep or a massif.

[IronWolf]

Sharath, Some observations and some quick questions.

The pics are amazing and your log give us a feeling of being there.

Only 4x4 are allowed right? asking cause I see some posts with 2WD comments and also asking if they were 2WDs vehicles.

Also I feel the Scorpio 4x4 as its not suited for this terrain.
a) too heavy
b) long wheelbase
c) yuppies who want their comfort and A/C which robs the engine of power.
I felt this just by looking at the pics. Then I read about the lady with her windows up with the AC on and the sheer weight of the scorpio breaking the rear axle.

The guy on this video seems extremely excited that the Bolero made it, why?

YouTube - Great Escape: Bolero crossing the river

The Black Bolero sans front bumper, what were the mods on that vehicle?

In your opinion how well does a stock 4x4 Stock bolero do in such conditions (not the invader).

Also this being what your 3rd OTR? you a Marshal at the event? Well done Sir
Didnt you have the urge to take on that terrain with your lil 340?

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by abhiram7912

a small question though is this event only limited to Mahindra jeeps or can people with other suv's participate ?? . love to participate in this event with a defender or a jeep or a massif.

It is limited to Mahindra vehicles and earlier Jeeps of CJ3x lineage.

Originally Posted by IronWolf

Only 4x4 are allowed right? asking cause I see some posts with 2WD comments and also asking if they were 2WDs vehicles.

Generally these are 4x4 events, I'll discuss this later when I conclude the report.

Originally Posted by IronWolf

The guy on this video seems extremely excited that the Bolero made it, why?
YouTube - Great Escape: Bolero crossing the river

The Black Bolero sans front bumper, what were the mods on that vehicle?

A member of this Bolero team is on Team-BHP, I'll let him comment on that.

Originally Posted by IronWolf

In your opinion how well does a stock 4x4 Stock bolero do in such conditions (not the invader).

My opinion is worthless considering I have never driven a Bolero.

Originally Posted by IronWolf

Also this being what your 3rd OTR? you a Marshal at the event? Well done Sir

I was not a driving marshal, I was more of a photographing marshal.

Originally Posted by IronWolf

Didnt you have the urge to take on that terrain with your lil 340?

I did, but I would not have seen 1/4th of what I got to see and shoot by being my on foot. Besides, the 340 would have easily managed this trail, just like every Jeep in the event.

[IronWolf]

Originally Posted by Samurai

It is limited to Mahindra vehicles and earlier Jeeps of CJ3x lineage.

My opinion is worthless considering I have never driven a Bolero.

I was not a driving marshal, I was more of a photographing marshal.

I did, but I would not have seen 1/4th of what I got to see and shoot by being my on foot. Besides, the 340 would have easily managed this trail, just like every Jeep in the event.

My question on the Bolero is more from what you saw. I used to underestimate its capability. From this thread looks like I am wrong.

Humm, I dont think every Jeep handled that event well. If you dont consider the Scorpio a jeep then okay.

Well I dont think they would let me be even the water boy on the 3rd OTR

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by IronWolf

My question on the Bolero is more from what you saw. I used to underestimate its capability. From this thread looks like I am wrong.

It is quite capable, and I am not qualified to comment beyond that.

Originally Posted by IronWolf

Humm, I dont think every Jeep handled that event well. If you dont consider the Scorpio a jeep then okay.

Neither Scorpio nor Bolero is a Jeep.

[Ramp]

Hi all,

the black bolero was not modified for any other thing. it was just removed the front and back bumpers and side foot steps and a few clips welded for towing purpose. it was a last few 4WD boleros made of DI turbo and now all 4WD boleros are coming with XDP engines.

The team members were very much excited because it was a first time for everybody in the team and nothing else.

Samurai, you are correct. we were reached back the club by 12.30 and finished lunch and we were at bangalore when all the marshalls were back at the club.

Cheers,

Ram.